Current concepts in mucosal immunity. I. Antigen presentation in the intestine: new rules and regulations.
The recognition that immune responses in the intestine differ from those seen systemically has led to a search for novel pathways involved in mucosal immunoregulation. One cell type that has surfaced as a prime candidate for such a regulatory role is the intestinal epithelial cell. A number of laboratories have documented that intestinal epithelial cells sample luminal antigens and process and present these to primed T cells. However, several unique features have emerged, making their potential role as antigen-presenting cells a critical part of mucosal homeostasis.
Mayer
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Immunobiology Center, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York 10029, USA.
D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000502:physiology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D018448:Models, Immunological; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology